Shedding Skin
by thechickenlittle
Summary: Cedric is not what he appears to be. And when the Mage summons the girls to help him become what he once was, everything changes!
1. Chapter 1

First shot at a WITCH fic. Hope I can do the show some justice!

Don't own WITCH, but love the series anyway!

Shedding Skin

Chap 1: As the wind blows

The Mage once again raised the scrying mirror from the floor carving where it rested. "Show me," she said softly, her ancient voice echoing in the green marble halls of the Infinite City. "Show me where this faint trail of magic resides."

For four years since the coronation of Elyon as the rightful queen of Meridian, the Mage had sensed some strange trace of magic coming from the two prisoners. Phobos, the half brother of Elyon who had tried to have his sister's magical powers stolen away and given to him, and his servant, the changeling monster named Cedric. The prince had wielded great amounts of stolen energy, so shifting through the slew of magical remnants had slowed the process down a great deal. Her mirror had been misled many times by those false trails. She had finally resorted to separating Cedric from him, as the shape-shifter's own magical aura had been acting like a shield of some kind to Phobos.

If the usurper prince had found some way to work magic again, this could be great trouble for Meridian. She had to find the source of this foreign power.

Her eyes widened in surprise at what the mirror revealed to her. This was indeed foreign magic, and it had been lost to Meridian for over five hundred years. "So," she breathed, "that's where you've been hiding. What a lovely trick you've played, little prince." She grimaced at the sight of what had been done, using her powers to set the mirror back to its resting place. "But to use an unwilling—oh, but this is truly the most wicked thing you have ever done." The ancient sorceress spoke a word of power, but her efforts were repelled. A thought brought out one of her aged scrolls from its place from one of the many shelves that lined her inner sanctum behind the waterfall. Telekinetic energy unrolled the spell, and she once again tried to undo the magic as she spoke aloud the powerful deowmer.

A shrill roar of pain sounded through the emerald corridors.

She shook her head, the folds of her cowl covering her white face in shadow. The scroll drifted back into place as she set out the beginnings of a calling spell. "This will require the Guardians' help. But could they be willing to take on such a challenge?"

(&&

At the restaurant, Cornelia was sitting in the booth with Caleb, talking about their latest trip to the mall. They had been fighting earlier, something about him eating too much chocolate. But when Taranee had mentioned the former rebel's habit of giving it away to poor children in the other world, Cornelia had instantly softened her tone. Caleb was now starting to blush at the high praise she was giving him. He began to get his regular fire back when she started talking again about ways to start building a mall over in Meridian.

Hay Lin chuckled to herself at their antics. They weren't exactly the best couple, but it was bound to be great while it lasted. They had been dating on and off for over four years, and were still rocky around each other. She glanced over to where Will and Matt sat at the opposite side of the room, their fingers laced together as they talked. The girl had changed quite a bit over the years, growing over a foot and a half, and letting her red hair get long enough to pull into a high ponytail. Matt had met his physical potential too, but had kept his black locks the same shaggy style.

Will was telling Matt some more of their many adventures in Meridian and Matt was trying to not gape like an idiot over her stories. Anyone could see that he was in awe of his girlfriend. And if said anyone needed proof of the fact, all you had to do was listen to his band's latest hit song, 'Wondergirl.'

The air guardian started to hum the song as some more customers came in, nearly skipping over to them to take their order. She began to sing full out as she came back to the kitchen to let her grandmother know of the order.

"Oh, she's a wonder-girl

And she's here to save the world

Going out to fight the demons

An army of night

By bringing out her powers

Of revealing light

They say she's just a girl

She'll never make it,

Though she tries

She's a just a girl

But she's a girl

Who really knows

How……to…..fly!

Oh, she's a wonder-girl

And she's here to save the world"-

"Double order of sesame chicken, grandma, with some wontons and fried rice," the cheerful girl called. The elder lady smiled, whacking her son on the back of the head with her wooden spoon. "You heard the girl, now get cracking," she said.

"Yes, mom," Mister Lin replied, expertly flipping the rice through the wok.

Hay Lin came back out to pour the drinks when the door suddenly burst open, a fierce wind blasting through. It swirled throughout the restaurant, rattling the lanterns and making people duck the flying napkins and food. Cornelia was tucked under Caleb's protective arms and Matt was shielding Will as best he could.

It was over in a moment. Cautiously, people got back up from where they had hidden, Cornelia blushing as she came up from the seat. "Is everyone alright?" Will asked the room at large. "Mostly whole," said Caleb, dusting off his jacket.

"Who left the door open?" The old lady asked from the kitchen.

"No one," Cornelia replied, picking bits of a fortune cookie from her hair, "but if someone did, I'd sue them for hair damage."

Hay Lin smiled reassuringly to the customers she had been approaching and went over and took Will's arm. "We need to get Irma and Taranee," she whispered urgently.

"What's up?" Will asked, surprised by the Asian girl's serious tone.

"That wind? That was from Meridian. From the Underground City." Hay Lin could barely hide her excitement. "It was from the Mage, Will!"

"What does she want?" Caleb said as he and the earth guardian came over, concerned. "Is something wrong in Meridian?"

"I don't know, but," the girl motioned them all closer so no one else could hear, "she told me where to make a portal to come see her. She said it was really urgent and that we would need to do something big."

"How big?" Will asked.

"Cedric big. She didn't say, but I think he might have escaped!"

()&(

Please review!


	2. answering

I got a pretty decent response to this, so here you guys go! Hope you like it!

Chap 3: Answering the call

Later that evening……..

"Oh great," Irma drawled as she walked over to the bridge's support post. She flipped her now long red hair away from her face. "Snake boy's loose. Just what we needed right now."

"Well, at least he can't cross over to Heatherfeild without Phobos to make the portal somehow," Taranee said. She paused to adjust her glasses, thinking. She too had allowed her hair to grow out, letting it tease out naturally into a soft afro. "Um, she didn't say anything about Phobos being loose, did she?"

"No, nothing like that," Hay Lin replied, pulling her light sweater tighter around her body. Autumn had come early that year, and the nights were becoming chilly. "In fact, she didn't really say much of anything. Just to get back to Meridian, make portal here, blah, blah, blah, and hurry."

"So it may not be a crisis at all," Cornelia said.

"No way," Caleb interjected. "The Mage doesn't send out calls like that for no reason. If she wants us for something, than its important."

"Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you, hon?" Irma said dryly.

"He sure is cheery," Matt said under his breath. Will giggled slightly. "Four years of peace on Meridian and he still hasn't lightened up. Bet he gets grey hair before he's thrity.

"No doubt," Will replied, smiling at her boyfriend. "Well, lets go ahead and get this over with." She raised the Heart of Kandrikar up. "Guardians unite!" Instantly the five girls were transformed into the Guardians of the Veil.

"I never get tired of watching this," Caleb muttered.

"Neither do I," Matt said. He frowned at the appreciative look the former rebel was giving Will and punched him in the arm. Caleb winced but shrugged, as if to say, 'can you blame me?'

With a wave of her hand, Will summoned the portal to appear. She looked back over to the boys, rolling her eyes at their antics. "You two guys stay over here, okay?"

"What! Hey now!" Both boys interjected.

"No buts! You guys have to guard the portal. If Cedric _is_ loose, you guys might end up being the last defense to stop him from coming through to Heatherfeild," Will said. "Why do you think we had you two bring fire extinguishers?"

"Cedric's mostly a snake, or some kind of reptilian life form," Taranee chimed in, "so he hates the cold. CO2 is sub temperature in those canisters, so it should slow him down enough for us to catch back up to him."

"Well, don't take too long getting back here if he does make it over," Caleb shot back. "Me and the rookie aren't really a match for him as we are."

"Who're you calling a rookie?" Matt said indignantly.

Caleb cocked an eyebrow at him. "You ever fought an evil army of trolls with just a sword and some flying pixies?"

Taranee let her flames form an aura around her body, giving the dark girl a distinctly frightening appearance. "Pixies?"

"Pretty, gorgeous pixies?" Hay Lin asked, smirking at the look on the boy's face.

"Did I say pixies? I meant warriors, mighty warriors, the powerful Guardians of the Veil, and yes, you are gorgeous," Caleb said, smiling nervously.

"Hmph. You better mean it that way," Cornelia huffed. "I'd hate to mess up such a pretty face."

"What, would he no longer match your wardrobe?" Irma asked. Cornelia shot her a glare as the girls flew into the portal.

"Good luck, Will," Matt said softly. He turned to face the former rebel leader. "Now what was that about a rookie?"

The dim light of the Infinite City glowed from its emerald walls, giving just enough light for the girls to make their way to the Mage's sanctum. "Is it me, or does this place really put you in mind of the Wizard of Oz?" Cornelia asked.

"Oh, I love that movie!" Hay Lin exclaimed. She immediately broke into song, "'We're off to see the wizard, the wonderful wizard of Oz-'"

Irma couldn't resist and did her best Judy Garland. "'We hear he is a wiz of a wiz if ever a wiz there was! The wonderful thing about him's because'"—

"Will you two stop it?" Taranee whispered nervously. "If Cedric _is_ loose down here, I don't think we should be advertising the fact that we're around and on the menu."

"Oh. Good point," Irma nodded.

Hay Lin pouted just a bit. It was one of her favorite songs, after all. Four years had not dimmed the sixteen-year-old's zest for life.

Will motioned to the others to halt and they hovered in the air. "Hay Lin, scope out the landscape a bit. See if you can hear anything we need to know about."

The Asian girl nodded, cupping her ear to help her concentrate the magic as she gathered the winds from all around that she could reach. She cocked her head, straining, but there was—"Nothing. Just the sound of the waterfall. We're getting close."

"Good," Will replied. "This place always did give me the creeps."

"You know, if it weren't for the fact that it's inhabited by a creepy witch lady, I'd think this place was actually kind of stylin'," Cornelia said, considering. "A few more lights, some strip malls, god knows they've got the room for it down here, and it might just be like home."

"Only you, Corny," Irma muttered.

Finally reaching the waterfall, the girls landed around the fountain-like basin that held the waters. Taranee smiled at the sight of it. "I love this kind of architecture," she said happily. "They say that listening to the sound of water helps improve your mood and get along better with others."

"Then how do they explain pirates? They're out on the ocean for months and they're downright testy." Hay Lin asked.

Taranee seemed struck by the question. "You know, I don't think they considered that when they did this research."

"Who are 'them' anyway?" Irma asked.

The fire guardian tilted her head in thought. "Um, Princeton graduates, if I'm not mistaken"—

"Welcome, Guardians."

Cornelia jumped at the sound, nearly going airborne in fright. "See," she muttered, "very creepy witch lady."

"Cool it, Cornelia," Will said. She walked forward, nodding politely to the sorceress's silhouette in the waterfall. "We've come as you asked, um, Lady Mage. What can we do for you?"

"It is more a question of what you are willing to do for another."

"You're loaning us out?" Irma asked, bemusedly.

"Well, I'll bet we're in great demand in the landscaping business," Hay Lin said blithely.

"Shut up, Hay Lin," Will muttered. She cleared her throat. "You mentioned something about Cedric."


	3. What was needed

Very long chap this time! Hope you all like it!

Chap: What was needed…..

"Yes. The boy Cedric needs your help."

"Boy?" Taranee asked. "We're talking about Cedric, right? I thought he was in his twenties."

"At least," Cornelia said. "He did own a bookshop in Heatherfeild, you know."

The mage nodded in acknowledgement. "Though his human form appears older, he is actually a boy, no more than seventeen years old."

Cornelia couldn't help the next words out of her mouth. "If his human form is this hot as twenty, he's bound to be a total babe younger."

The other four guardians, even Hay Lin, turned around and stared at the earth guardian.

"What? I'm just saying…."Cornelia muttered, blushing in embarrassment.

"Sorry for the interruption from Miss Boy-Obsessed," Irma said, rolling her eyes.

The Mage smiled, her mind going back to the former guardians. They had been much like this long ago. Brash and brave, without much regard for ancient magics due to unfamiliarity. She refocused on the task at hand. "I read his thoughts to discern where the magic I have been sensing from him originated and found out what had been done. Cedric was the son of a merchant in Meridian"—

"Wait, wait. Hold on, here. I don't mean to be rude, but what? Cedric's human?" Will asked incredulously.

"But, he transforms," Taranee said dazedly.

"Into a huge, scaly, snake thing," Hay Lin said.

"He was not always a changeling," the Mage replied. "He was born human, but was very sickly for most of his life. His father kept him in the shop, only allowing him to work the ledgers."

"That's the accounts, blondie," Irma whispered.

Cornelia just seethed, not wanting to admit that she hadn't known what that meant.

"But he longed to go out and be like other young men his age. If nothing else, he wanted to be of greater use to his father. So when the call came for workers in the castle, he was eager for the job."

"And ran into Phobos," Will said grimly.

"Indeed. The prince offered to give Cedric a chance to be completely normal. To finally help his father and impress his peers. And Phobos took advantage of the boy's hope. He was bewitched with a terrible spell that will require your help to break."

"So all this time, Cedric's not really a villain? He's just a victim of Phobos'?" Hay Lin asked. The Mage nodded. "Oh, that poor boy," she said, sounding heartbroken.

"Just what sort of spell are we talking about?" Will asked. She lifted the pendant from her chest to hold in her palm, "This kind of spell, or the serious mojo stuff?"

"This kind of spell is really a charm. A wicked charm that was placed into Cedric by Phobos in such a way that only another magic user can get it out."

"Which is where we come in. But why? Can't you do it yourself? You're powerful, right?" Cornelia asked.

"Uh, Cornelia, I think if she could have, she wouldn't have called us," Taranee replied.

"There is a part of the spell that I cannot do on my own, so I have summoned you to help me," the Mage answered. "Are you willing?"

"Sure," Will shrugged.

The Mage lowered her hood, staring intently at the girls as the light reflected off her pale skin. "Do not walk into this lightly. What I'm about to tell you is a terrible part of Meridian's past, and it will require a sacrifice on your part to accomplish."

The girls looked nervously at each other, contemplating this new bit of info. "Um, lets hear the history part first and then decide," Taranee said.

The sorceress nodded. "The charm is known as the Athix Charm, a powerful magical item that can make anyone into a changeling. It was forged by Lord Patheld, a dark magician of the ancient court of Meridian. He used his work to terrorize the nobility of the time, to try to create fear and paranoia and start a rebellion against the kingdom. He nearly succeeded before the first Guardians managed to divine his plot and stop him in time. They burned down his tower and all the items within it, and it was thought that the Athix Charm was among the melted parts of the rubble. Its plain to see that this was not the case.

"So it came somehow to Phobos. The charm can also be used to control the one under its influence, granting the caster complete sway over the victim. Phobos used it on Cedric in a way I had never seen before.

"Normally, the charm is used for simple purposes, because those in magical trances never do as well as someone in control of their own faculties. You saw this during the incident with the Horn of Hypnos. But Phobos found a way to have the controlling effects while leaving enough consciousness to perform well and have ideas of their own. Or rather, _his_ own."

"What do you mean, _his_ own?"

"Phobos forced a piece of his essence into Cedric, making him completely loyal and capable to do anything his master bid him. The ultimate form of brain-washing. Cedric the boy no longer truly existed. There was only Phobos and the monster he chose to make Cedric into." She let the girls absorb that fact for a moment before she continued. "This is where I require your help. Phobos forced his essence on Cedric by an unspeakable act."

Will stared at the Mage, very afraid of what the woman was about to say. "What act?"

"He raped him."

It took a minute for the full impact to be comprehended. But when it really sank in, the girls gasped in shock.

Taranee felt her jaw drop. "He did what?"

"Oh," Irma breathed, "terrible mental image."

"Can't you show some sensitivity for once in your life?" Cornelia snapped at the water guardian. She looked away, horrified. "I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy."

"I didn't mean it like that!" Irma exclaimed. "I mean, I'm not heartless. But I just can't imagine that happening to anyone. To do that to someone is lower than scum."

"So how do we get the essence out of him?" Will asked, quieting the girls.

"This is where a sacrifice will be required. I can remove the charm, so that he cannot change form again, but if I attempt to remove the essence from him, it would kill him in a matter of days. Phobos wanted Cedric as a backup plan so that if he was captured, the changeling would be compelled to come rescue him, no matter what the circumstances."

Taranee scowled, fire briefly flaring from her fingertips. "Rotten, lousy, son-of-a"—

"To remove it without harming him, another's essence must take its place."

Will's eyes went wide. "Um…….how exactly would we do that?"

"In the same manner that Phobos used. One of you must give your own piece to him, in effect, becoming his new 'master.'"

"But-but that's slavery!" Taranee shouted, outraged. "I'm not just going to stand by and let that happen!"

"You would not be in control of him," the mage replied. "This would be a temporary dosage until his spirit is repaired enough to force it out. But it must be done."

Irma raised her hand. "So how exactly do we get our essence in him?"

The woman swallowed a bit, knowing that this was not going to be easy on anyone. "Whether done knowingly or not, essence is exchanged whenever sex occurs."

"Sex?" Taranee squeaked.

She nodded. "One of you must lay with him."

Instantly, Cornelia shouted, "I'm out!"

"I've got a boyfriend!" Will shouted out.

"I-I've got Timmy," Irma jumped in. "Yeah, Timmy, that's it….."

"Oh, no! I'm not doing this!" Taranee cried. "I have a hard enough time just getting a date, let alone having—having"—she blushed to the roots of her hair. "No way, Jose!

Hay Lin shrugged. "I'll do it."

"Now there has to be some other way to do thi---what?" Will said, breaking off her sentence. She whirled to face her friend. "What did you say?"

"I'll do it," the air guardian said, louder this time. "After all, I'm a Pisces."

The girls stared at her. "What's that got to do with anything?" Cornelia asked.

"What, you don't know? Pisces are all love machines!" The girl replied.

"Maybe you need to think about this some more," Will said slowly. "I mean, are you sure you want to do this?"

"Well," she sighed, "I know that I'm flighty, and not very coordinated. I know that I'm not exactly the most responsible of the group."

Cornelia nodded her head in agreement. Irma saw and jabbed her elbow in the girl's side.

"But I—I guess that if it means saving someone from a horrible spell, then its for a good cause, right?"

The girls had no real answer for that. "Are you sure?" Irma asked. She came over to her friend's side, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Are you really sure about this, birdie-girl?"

The air guardian smiled at her, a little shakily. "As sure as I'll ever be." She turned to the Mage. "So, what do I need to do to get ready? Or should I just show up in a teddy or something?"

The mage lifted her hand and touched Hay Lin's shoulder. "You are very brave to do this. I cannot think of many willing to be so compassionate."

The girl fidgeted under so much attention. "Um, can we do this soon? Before I loose my nerve."

"Very well. I shall make the preparations."

"Hold on, now," Will interjected. "Cedric is currently still a villain, as he is. He'll tear Hay Lin to shreds."

"Do not worry. I shall remove the charm from him before Hay Lin goes in. It will take most of the essence with it, so his real personality should be dominate. He will be very drained and disoriented, so you must be careful not to hurt him."

"You know, I get the distinct feeling that this is not what a young girl normally hears for her first time pep talk," Irma commented, giving Hay Lin's arm a squeeze. "Can't we have a little time to get ready?"

"How about getting a second opinion?" Cornelia asked.

"I have consulted many books and tomes to find an alternate solution, but this is the only way that will leave Cedric alive after a week," the Mage replied.

"Its okay, girls, I'm fine. We can go on ahead and do this. Oh, can somebody make up some story for my parents for why I'm not home? I've used the whole study group thing way too many times." The girl shifted nervously.

"Alright, when Hay Lin is the only one thinking straight, we've got a problem," Will said numbly.

"Don't worry, we'll take care of things on our side," Taranee promised. "You just worry about yourself."

"Believe me, I'm worrying enough as it is," she muttered.

Irma touched her arm. "You don't have to do this. We can find some other way, I'm sure of it."

"No, its fine. Besides, I want to meet the real Cedric," Hay Lin blushed.

Cornelia shook her head, bemusedly. "So you did have a crush on him after all."

"Ew," Taranee couldn't help saying.

Hay Lin blushed furiously. "No, I"—

"No, you idiot, not on the snake thing! Jeez, use that cranium you're famous for. She liked his human form before we found out what he was," the earth guardian explained.

"Oh," the fire guardian blushed. "Sorry, birdie."

"No problem," Hay Lin fidgeted. "Um, can we hurry up with this?"

"I am almost done with the preparations," the Mage replied. She held her hands in front of her, palms facing each other, a glowing ball of energy forming between them. Suddenly, a brilliant flash of light made everyone cover their eyes. When they could see over all the flash spots in their eyes, the girls gasped.

A small twisted mass of red metal had appeared in her hands, and what looked like dark green smoke obscuring it from sight. The Mage frowned in concentration, and light began to burn the smoke away. When the last of the smoke had cleared, she looked back to them all. "This is the Athix charm," the sorceress said, strained. She looked even paler from the efforts of her magic. "I will use all my power to destroy it once and for all." She looked over to the young air guardian. "Now it is up to you."

)(&&)&

Please review!


	4. saying hello

Let the fun begin! I don't own the WITCH crew!

Chap: saying hello….

Hay Lin stepped cautiously into the small chamber, nervously fiddling with her clothes. Will had transformed her back to her normal human form, as the mage had warned that too much magic near Cedric now could harm him. A few torches burned in the wall scones to give the room some light, casting shadows everywhere. Deep gouges marred the walls and part of the door from where the monster had tried to claw his way out. Cracked imprints marked where his massive tail had tried smashing the walls down. She swallowed hard at the memory of that animalistic strength and glanced around, searching for Cedric.

She almost fell over him.

A teenage boy lay sprawled on the floor amidst what looked like the tattered remains of green and gold robes. His body was bent at awkward angles, like he had been seizing. Hay Lin blushed to the roots of her hair, for the fact was that he was stark naked. She had to admit that he had a rather nice body. His short blonde hair was wet with sweat, eyes closed like he was dreaming. She could tell that he would be tall when he stood up, and he almost looked a little gangly. His skin was pale from lack of sunlight, but a red flush was on his face.

'_Probably from getting the charm out_, she thought. He began to stir, eyes opening a bit to show the purple irises that had always attracted her. Something struck her as she moved towards him about his eyes. They no longer had that slightly slitted appearance. She knelt down to his side, arms going around him to help him sit up. "Cedric?"

"Wha….what?" he murmured. He tried to open his eyes further, and found himself to be incredibly lethargic. Everything felt so heavy and stiff. It felt like he was trying to move through a field of molasses. With effort, he looked to find the one supporting him.

Purple orbs met eyes of jet black in an effort to understand. He blinked, trying to focus more. "Who…….pardon me, lady, but who are you?"

"You don't recognize me?"

"No," he answered, trying to focus on the girl. Her voice had sounded muffled, like his ears were stuffed with cotton. He shook his head slightly to clear it. "Have we met before?"

"Um, a few times, but its not important," she answered, shaking her head as she gave him a tiny smile.

A sudden image came to him, of three girls with tiny wings flying around him. He had tried to swat them with his tail—what? His tail?

The girl looked at him in concern. "How are you feeling?"

He tried to move and found that he needed her help once more as he sat up further. "I'm not at my best. To be truthful, I feel like I'm covered in glue and can't move anything." He coughed lightly. "What happened?"

"You don't remember?"

"I---I don't know." He blinked in consternation. "I keep getting these strange images of"---suddenly, it all came to him. The memories of the monster: of changing into the giant man-snake, of attacking his own people. He remembered the village where he'd grown up burning, of the news that his father had been killed—

He moaned, both hands going up to the sides of his head. He clenched his fingers in his hair, oblivious to the girl franticly asking him what was wrong. Tears began to streak down his face.

He remembered imprisoning so many people whose only crime had been to try and protect each other from a terrible evil. He remembered attacking innocents to send to the mines, to be slaves for Phobos

"Wh-what have I done? What have I done?" he wept. The girl pulled him into her arms, rocking back and forth trying to soothe him. He held onto her for dear life, trying to block everything out of his head. "I remember. I remember everything! What have I done?" He whispered brokenly. "May heaven forgive me, somehow."

She let him cry, feeling his tears soak into her sweater. Pulling back, she looked him directly in the eyes. "_You_ didn't do any of those things," the girl said fiercely. "Phobos made you do them."

"But I remember thinking of how to do it!" he cried. "I remember plotting to attack thousands of innocent people and liking it"—

"Phobos forced a piece of himself inside you," the girl answered. "He used it to control you and your thoughts. _You _didn't do those terrible things."

He leaned back and managed to shift out of her arms, trying to look at her more clearly. His eyes widened as he recognized her. "You! You're the one who controlled the air! You're one of the Guardians!"

She looked down, smiling in slight embarrassment. "Yeah, that's me."

He frowned in confusion. "Why?"

"Why am I a Guardian? Well, its likely that because my grandma was one that it just got passed on, but she doesn't think so. It seems that this whole Destiny thing picked me for it, and it never consults you about these things and just has you go out and do it"—

"N-no, I mean---why are you here? With me, now?"

"What do you mean?"

"Are you here to execute me?"

She gaped at him in shock. "What?"

"For all that I've done. I helped burn villages, enslaved thousands of people. I attacked people ruthlessly, and I killed the ones who failed me. I"—he shuddered and grimaced in disgust as more tears escaped his eyes—"I remember eating them."

She leaned towards him, reaching out to cup his cheek in her palm as her other hand wiped away his tears. "Don't worry. That will never happen ever again."

He looked away, unable to meet her eyes. "How do you know for certain that I am no threat?"

"The Mage got rid of the magic that made you transform. You couldn't be the snake thing even if you wanted to."

"I can no longer transform? Ever again?"

"You got it."

He smiled, almost ruefully. "Thank the heavens for that. But," his face became somber once more, "how can you be sure that I won't act as the monster again? How do you know that my mind is truly my own?"

She leaned back to look at him better. "Do you want to do any of those things again?"

He shuddered in revulsion, "no."

"Are you happy that those things happened?"

"No!"

"Then I don't think you will ever let such terrible things happen again." She took his hand. "I'm not here to hurt you. In fact, I'm here to help you."

He frowned lightly in confusion. "Help me? You would help me after all that I've done?"

"Sure. Why not?"

He looked at her like the answer should be obvious.

She shook her head at him. "I'm here because it's the right thing to do. And because—well," she blushed and whispered something that he didn't catch.

"What? Your pardon, my lady, I couldn't hear you."

"I—I wanted to meet the real you."

"The real me? Why?

"You"—she blushed. "I just always thought that there was more to you than just the snake thing."

He blinked in surprise. "Truly?"

She nodded shyly. "Uh-hmm."

"Oh." Cedric found himself blushing. No girl had ever bothered to look twice at him before. Not when he was a bookkeeper, or when he had been—he mentally scowled, Phobos' servant. He looked to the side, unable to meet her eyes. "Are you disappointed with what you find?"

She looked up at him, surprised at his tone. "No, not at all. I think that---I could get to like you. Like this, I mean."

He found himself blushing again, looking down to hide his face a bit. "Thank you," he said softly.

"For what?"

He paused a moment. "For being so kind to me," he finished.

"Oh," she giggled. "That's nothing. Wait till you find out what I'm supposed to help you with."

)&&($&$

Please review!


	5. You need to do what?

Sorry its been so long, my daughter decided to grow in her first teeth. This has not been fun for anyone involved.

Ah well, evough of my problems. On with the fic! Oh, and I don't own anything from WITCH at all.

Chap: You need to do what?

He cocked his head in curiosity. "That does beg the question. What exactly is it that you want to help me with?"

"Um, well, it's a little complicated," she said nervously. He watched her in some awe. He'd had no idea a girl could turn that color of red and not be choking on something. He saw her glance down at the rest of him and look away quickly.

Wondering if he was wearing something stupid, he glanced down at himself. That's when he noticed something. In truth, he'd felt the draft for some time, but hadn't paid much attention to it. But now—he gasped. A tiny sound came from his throat and every inch of his skin began to turn red with his blush.

The girl looked back up at him, alarmed. "What is it?"

"I'm"—he tried to jump back and cover himself, but only succeeded in falling in a heap on the ground. He still had very little strength left. With some effort he managed to twist his hips so that his bare front was turned away from the girl.

"Are you alright?" She asked, concerned.

"Fine, fine, but---I don't have any clothes on! Why didn't you say anything?" He asked incredulously.

She flushed, not wanting to admit that she had liked the view. "Um, Cedric, right about now, your clothes are the least of your worries."

He looked at her oddly. "What are you talking about?"

"Um"—she sighed, setting her shoulders in determination. "Cedric, do you remember the Athix charm?"

"The Athix charm?" He thought a moment. "Yes, the prince mentioned using it to"—he froze. "Oh." He noticed the girl looking nervous about something. "I do remember that it was what he used to turn me into the monster. Are you alright, my lady?"

"Me? What makes you ask that?"

He frowned in concern. "You're shivering. Are you cold?"

"No, no, its nothing like that. Just---nervous."

"For what?"

"For what I'm about to ask you." She took a deep breath and soldiered on. "Do you remember how he used the charm on you?"

The boy paused in thought, trying to remember. "I do recall going into the prince's spell room. He said that we would need privacy to work the magic. He had me touch it and then he"---Cedric's voice simply died.

Hay Lin saw him go even paler if that was possible, and then he began to shake. "Cedric?"

"H-he…..he"---the boy swallowed hard, tremors racking his thin frame. He began to unconsciously draw in on himself, trying to curl up into a ball. He began to hyperventilate, panicking at his memories, "He….Phobos, he—he pushed me down"—

Hay Lin couldn't help the sadness in her voice as she tried to call him out of the memory. "Cedric?"

--"pushed me down and locked me in those chains." He shuddered, "They were so cold, it hurt my wrists. I tried to ask what he was doing and then he gagged me"---he twisted off to the side and threw up the little food that had been in his stomach.

Hay Lin shrugged out of her sweater, leaving her in just her thin tank top. She shifted over to his side, gently coaxing him back into her arms. The girl wrapped the wool garment around his shoulders and let him tell the awful story.

"He h-held me down and forced my legs ap-art—it hurt! It hurt so badly I wanted to scream, but I couldn't scream; I tried to, but I couldn't even hear myself! I tried to fight him off, but I couldn't reach him! I tried, I tried……"

She shushed him, crooning under her breath as she laid her head on his shoulder. "Its okay now. He can't hurt you ever again. He can't hurt anyone anymore. He's the one that's locked away now."

A while later, Cedric raised red-rimmed eyes to look at her. "I—I'm sorry for this."

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry for loosing control like that in front of you," he said. He dragged a hand over his face to clear it. "I shouldn't have done that. My apologies."

"I don't mind. Just proves that you're human, right?"

He closed his eyes, shaking his head. Opening them again, he gave her a tiny smile. "Thank you for understanding."

"You're welcome," she said softly. Suddenly, she frowned. "I hate to do this, but I need to tell you something."

He pulled back from her arms a bit to give her space. "What is it?"

"Do you know where you are?"

He thought a moment. "The Infinite City, correct?"

"Yeah. Do you know who has you here?"

"The Mage," he replied, wondering where this was going. "She was holding us prisoner for the crimes against Meridian."

"Well, she's the one who found out about the charm and got it out of you. And she called us, the Guardians, I mean, because there was something she couldn't do to fix you and needed us for." She stopped, wondering how in the world she should say this. After everything the guy had gone through, this might be difficult for him.

"Go on," he encouraged.

"Well, when Phobos—when he put the charm in you and"—she stopped, unwilling to say it.

"When he raped me?" The boy said, his voice deadpan.

She looked down, "Yeah. When he did that, he was putting that piece of himself in you to control your mind. Something called essence."

Cedric shuddered in disgust.

"Well, he did it so that you couldn't live without his essence in you. That if you ever broke the charm over you, you'd die in a few days. The Mage got the charm out and most of the essence, so you don't have very long to live."

He blinked, processing this bit of information. "So that's it, then?"

She looked at him in confusion. "What?"

"That's what you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, yeah. Some of it."

"Well then, I thank you."

She looked at him, perplexed. "For what?'

"For getting the charm out of me. And for telling me all of this. I do admit that I'll be sad to die, but that's a small price to pay to be free from Phobos' control."

She waved her hands in panic, trying to get him to understand. "No, no! You don't get it, yet! I don't want you to die, so I'm going to help you."

"How?"

"If you can replace his missing essence with someone else's for a while, just some kind of temporary dose until you're strong enough to make you own again, you'll live!"

"Oh." He couldn't help his surprise as understanding came to him. "That's what you want to help me with? You want to give me some of your essence? So that I'll live?"

"Yes!"

He smiled in genuine gratitude. "Thank you, my lady."

"Oh, well," she smiled, waving off his thanks and blushing.

"So, how is that done?"

She had been afraid of this question. "Well, I asked about this, and there aren't many ways to give somebody essence. You either have to one:" she held up one finger, "drink enough of their blood to kill them."

"No," he said, horrified.

She raised another finger, "Two: you would have to eat their heart."

"Powers above, no," he said in revulsion.

She raised her ring finger. "Or three: you have to do the nasty with them."

He stopped and stared at her. "Pardon me?"

She was beet red in embarrassment, rewording her sentence. "You would have to have sex with them."

He simply stared at her. "Sex?"

"Yep."

"With another person?"

"That's generally how it's done."

"You mean that you want to help me by…by…."

She nodded.

In a tiny, bewildered voice he asked, "Why?"

"Because I want you to live."

He looked at her with something like awe. "You keep saying that. But why? Why do you want me to live so badly after all that I've done?"

She sighed, looking away from him. "A terrible thing was done to you, and all the power in the world can't undo it. It made you do horrible things, and only time can erase what has been done. But to let you die like this would be letting Phobos have one last little victory, and I won't let him have that.

"I won't let an innocent person die if I can prevent it. And you were an innocent in all of this. He took over your mind, controlled everything you did. You are not to blame for his actions."

Cedric reached out and touched her cheek, wiping away the tears that she hadn't noticed falling. "You care so much. Are you always like this?"

She blinked at his touch, a pink blush coming over her face. "As far as I know."

He smiled, his other hand reaching out to hers and bringing it to his lips in a light kiss. "Thank you. For caring."

She smiled, leaning into his warm palm and nuzzling it. "Will you let me help you?"

He looked right into her eyes, gauging her sincerity. "Are you sure you want to do this?" She nodded. "Then yes, my lady, I would be honored to accept your help."

"Good," she said.

Please review!


	6. building flames

Sorry its been so long.

Chap: building fire

They both looked away, awkward and unsure of what to do. Finally gathering her courage, Hay Lin tried to sound cheerful as she stood, saying, "Well, out of the both of us, I think I'm over dressed." She began to pull off her tank top.

Cedric swallowed hard, looking away to give her privacy. He had no experience whatsoever with women at all. How was he supposed to know what to do? His father had explained things to him when he'd turned thirteen, but that seemed like a lifetime ago. _Actually_, he thought to himself, _it **was **a lifetime ago._

He shifted a little, cursing the weakness in his limbs. How was he supposed to do this as weak as he was? He pushed himself over till his back was against the wall, trying to brace himself. When he looked back up to the girl, he gasped.

She was naked but for a thin piece of white cloth over her nether regions. He couldn't help his staring as he took in her body. Long legs, graceful arms, and black silky hair so long that it reached past her hips. He looked up past her—he swallowed hard at the sight of her chest—and looked into her face.

What he saw made his heart lurch. She looked nervous and scared. But as she walked forward to his side, she gave him a smile. "Have you ever done this before?"

He shook his head.

"Oh, crud. Neither one of us knows what we're doing."

His eyes widened in shock. "You—you are a maiden! And you are willing to give me your virginity?"

She blushed furiously, sitting down by his side. "Well, we all loose it some way or another, right?"

"Shouldn't you give this to your husband?" He instantly regretted his words as he saw her shoulders slump. "No, I—I didn't mean to sound judging. I just"—he paused, trying to get this right. "I'm just surprised that you would give me something so precious."

"Nice recovery", she said, laughing a bit.

Hay Lin blushed fuchsia when he leaned in and kissed her. It was awkward and a bit stiff, but it was a start. She faced him fully, smiling at the nervous look on his face. "That was my first kiss."

"And mine as well," he replied. He leaned forward and kissed her again, lingering this time and applying firm pressure to her lips. "Better?" He asked.

She blinked lazily. "Yep. Much better." She leaned forward this time, opening her mouth to suck very softly on his lower lip. He gasped slightly, his lips parting. She didn't waste the opportunity, using her tongue and touching his own. He gasped fully this time, a startled look on his face.

She immediately pulled back. "Is that alright?" She asked, timid.

"Yes," he breathed. He pulled his arms up around her, bringing more skin into contact with his own. She ended up fully seated in his lap, her legs straddling his waist. Hay Lin gasped at the closeness and shook a little, nervous beyond anything she'd ever known.

He pulled back, looking into her face. "Are you afraid?" Cedric asked.

"Not really," she replied, a sheepish look on her face. "But my heart's beating really fast."

He reached out and took her hand, bringing it to his chest and letting her feel his heartbeat. "Oh," she gasped. "Your heart's beating fast too. You're just like me."

He smiled, and she suddenly felt the tremors running through his body. The girl returned his smile, "We can do this. We'll just go slow," she said.

He nodded. Then he sent his hand down her arm, following it up to her elbow, her shoulder, letting it rest at the juncture of head and neck. He cupped her cheek, bringing it closer for his kiss.

Cedric was scared and thrilled and seven different kinds of excited all at once. With more will than he knew he possessed, he forced himself to go slow, to show this girl that he could be more than the monster. To prove to himself that she was right to have such faith in him.

He rained kisses on her face, moving down to her neck, taking note of the shivering response he got in that sensitive area. She returned his kisses when he paused, nipping the skin of his shoulders, leaving little marks. He gasped at every nip and suck, his hands beginning to reach for her. She arched into his touch as he lightly raked his nails down her back, exposing her breasts to him.

With nervous hesitation, he slowly lowered his head down to kiss the first one, never breaking eye contact with her. _Its like he's asking permission_, she thought to herself. She smiled, giving consent as her hands began to wander, learning his body as he was learning hers.

When he began to suckle the skin there, she gasped in pleasure. "Cedric," she breathed. He immediately pulled back from her. "Am I hurting you? Should I stop?" He asked.

"No," she said, her breath beginning to come in pants. "Please don't stop. It—it feels---so good."

He went back to her chest, switching to the other breast. "I wouldn't want to neglect this one," he said, smiling. She could barely understand him at this point. Everything in her was reacting so strangely. Everywhere he touched seemed to tingle and get so warm, all of that sensation pooling somewhere lower on her body.

He shifted his legs so that they were bent behind her to support her. He leaned her back onto them so that he could see more of her body. Pulling back, he just looked at her, stunned.

Her skin was glowing, darkened in places with the marks he'd made on her. Her face was flushed, her hair wild and wrapping around her arms, twining over his body as well. He ran his hands down her sides, coming to her hips and slowly going down her legs.

"You're beautiful," he gasped. "Gods in the heavens, you're so beautiful."

She reached out and cupped his face in her palms, her heart expanding and melting at his words. "You are too," she said softly. She brushed the bangs off his face, smiling. "You're beautiful, too."

"That's for women," he said, laughter in his voice.

"No, not at all," she said, her voice surprisingly serious. "Men have beauty too. But its different from women. Men have grace and strength in their beauty. Its like the character of their souls' show in their faces, and that's what makes them beautiful." She leaned in and kissed him once more. "Your soul shows to anyone who looks. I saw it there even when you were under Phobos' control. He could take your body, but he couldn't take your soul away from you. You are beautiful, Cedric, you always have been."

He couldn't help the tears that spilled from his amethyst eyes as he shook his head. "How can you say such things to me?"

Hay Lin just smiled, taking a fist and bopping him lightly on the top of his head. "I just can, okay?" She kissed him again, deeper this time, drawing back into the passion they had created.

More kisses and touches were shared, a fire growing between them. The more he moved against her, the more she felt the need to rock her body against the hardness she felt beneath her. Gritting her teeth in frustration, she rolled off him for a moment, getting her panties off as fast as she could before coming back to him.

Suddenly he reached up, holding her off him. He was shaking and panting, barely in control at this point. He had never wanted anything so badly in all his life as to have the girl in his arms. But he still had enough control left to gasp out, "Are—you sure?"

She looked him straight in the eyes and nodded. "I want this. I—I want you. Please, Cedric!"

He finally loosened his grip, letting her body slide down onto his. She braced herself on her knees, positioning it to let him into her. Both of them shaking in passion and fright, they slowly began to come together. He groaned at the feel of her heat surrounding him, head thrown back in unbelieving pleasure.

She gasped suddenly as he hit a barrier. "Cedric," she said, worried. "It doesn't fit."

"What?"

"I—I think, it doesn't fit."

He tried to understand her before he realized what was going on. "Hold on to me," he said, pulling her close. She wrapped her arms around him, tucking her head into the crook of his neck. "Hold on," he forced out through clenched teeth as he prepared to move.

He then turned and kissed her cheek, laying his head onto hers. "Forgive me," he breathed, and in one hard thrust, punched through her maidenhead.

Hay Lin cried out in at the feeling of a deep powerful sting going through her. "Cedric," she said, tears coming from her eyes. "Cedric, it hurts."

"Shhh," he crooned, his entire body shaking at the effort to hold back. Gods above, she felt so good around him. He forced his body to still as she adjusted to him. She pulled back to look into his face, and he winced at the sight of her tears. "Are you alright?"

"Y—yes," she breathed. She knew that it would hurt a bit, but hadn't imagined it would feel like this. She also knew that it would get better as they went along, so she looked him in the eyes again, letting her need show through. "P—please, kiss me."

He obliged, kissing her deeply, his tongue thrusting forward and mimicking what his body wanted to do so badly. She began to respond, her hands roaming over his back and chest. She even began to play with his hair, fingers twining into his blonde locks.

He cried out at the feel of her body all over his, eyes clenching in pleasure as she shifted her legs around him. Slowly, so as to not hurt her, he began to withdraw, going out almost all the way before pushing back into her. She moaned at the sensation, her hips moving to meet his. They began to build a rhythm, both crying out at the feel of it all.

Cedric panted, his body beginning to glow weakly. Hay Lin's began to glow in return, steady waves of silver light coming off her body like mist. The light slowly crept around Cedric, winding around him, soaking into his body until it finally matched the intensity of her own glow.

The girl finally screamed as the tension that had wound so tight in her body shattered, scattering lightning bolts of feeling from her head to her toes. Cedric wasn't far behind, shouting his satisfaction. Slowly, they came back to themselves, holding on to each other for what felt like dear life.

Cedric was amazed. That had to be the most incredible feeling he'd ever had. He straightened his legs, keeping the girl tucked safely in his arms. Moving so that he could lay her down, he set her gently on the floor, curling up beside her to share his warmth.

Her eyes slowly blinked open, and she found that her entire body felt oddly drained. "Cedric," she said weakly. "Are you okay?"

"Better than 'okay,' my lady," he said softly. He brushed the hair from her face, leaning over to look at her better. "Are you alright? You seem very tired."

"I think—its from the essence. Mine went into you," she panted, trying to catch her breath. "I'm gonna sleep for a little bit, okay?"

"Absolutely," he said. Suddenly a thought came to him, and he could have kicked himself for not asking sooner. This was going to sound awful coming when it did. "Um, your pardon, my lady, but"—he paused trying to think how to phrase this, but couldn't think of a better way than—"what is your name?"

She looked at him oddly. "You don't know?"

He blushed bright red in embarrassment. "No. My apologies."

"Its alright," she breathed, visibly getting sleepier by the second. "I'm—Hay Lin..." her eyes couldn't stay open anymore and finally closed in sleep.

He smiled, tucking her body around his to keep her warm. "Pleasant dreams, my Lady Hay Lin."

()$&

The Mage smiled as she felt the energies shift and change within the cell. "Well done, Hay Lin." She waved her hand and sent a magical burst of energy to the other Guardians. They would need to know that their friend was alright.

)(&$

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